Illuminated display rosary



ILLUMINATED DISPLAY ROSARY Filed Oct. 6, 1955 United States Patent 'Oflice 2,759,096 Patented Aug. 14, 1956 ILLUMINATED DISPLAY ROSARY George A. Caissie, North Cambridge, Mass.

Application October 6, 1955, Serial No. 538,880

Claims. (Cl. 240-) The present invention relates to religious articles and, in particular, to rosaries.

The principal object of the invention is to produce a rosary which is suitable for outdoor display on a shrine or building, and the main elements of which can be internally illuminated. Another object is to produce a rosary for this purpose which can be constructed in rather large proportions so as to be visible from a distance, which suggests the delicacy of appearance of the usual rosary, and which yet is sturdy enough to withstand severe weather conditions.

A rosary constructed according to this invention consists in general of a string of internally illuminated beads, each of which has a weatherproof light-transmitting casing made of separable parts which permit access to its interior, and an elongated coupling having separable parts which, when joined, serve at once to fasten together the parts of the casing, to carry electn'cal components within the casing, and to provide the tensile strength necessary for carrying beads of the contemplated weight.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a side view of a portion of a rosary embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section of one of the beads, the section being taken substantially along its longitudinal axis;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a cross-section constituting another portion of the rosary of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The illustrated rosary comprises a number of similar beads 7 connected together by lengths of chain 8, as shown in Fig. 1, and connected in conventional fashion to a cross 9, shown in Figs. 4 and 5 as including a wooden base 10, a transparent or translucent casing 11 and a number of suitably wired lamps 12. The beads correspond in number and arrangement to those of the usual rosary. One of the beads is shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3 as comprising a casing 13 and a coupling 14.

Casing 13 includes a tubular central section 15, and two generally hemispherical end sections 16 and 17 which have end apertures 18 and 20. The peripheral margins 21 and 22 of end sections 16 and 17, respectively, overlap the peripheral margins 23 and 24 of central section 15. Margin 22 is cemented to margin 24. Margin 21 is separable from margin 23. Casing 13, preferably translucent but alternatively transparent, is composed, for example, of a synthetic organic plastic or a frosted glass The casing may be colored as desired.

The coupling 14 serves to clamp end section 17 to medial section to carry a pair of electric lamps 25 and 26, and to extend through opposed apertures 18 and for connection to links of chains 8 and to cross 9.

The elements of coupling 14 include an externally threaded rod 27 on which a cross plate 28 is mounted and secured by a pair of lock nuts 30, 30. Lamps 25 and 26 are carried by a pair of sockets 32 and 33 symmetrically mounted on plate 28 on opposite sides of rod 27. At opposite ends of rod 27 are a pair of similar junctions 34 and 35. Each junction has a transverse opening 36 and a pair of internally threaded longitudinal holes 37 and 38 communicating with it. The opposite ends of rod 27 are screwed into holes 37, 37 and are secured to junctions 34 and 35 by lock nuts 40, 40. The inner ends of a pair of externally threaded tubes 42 and 43 are screwed into holes 38, 38 and are secured to junctions 34 and 35 by a pair of lock nuts 44, 44. At the outer ends of tubes 42 and 43 are a pair of eyelets 46 and 47 having inner tubular portions 46a and 47a which extend through apertures 18 and 20, respectively, and an outer eye portion 46b and 47b which is linked to a length of chain 8. The tubular portions are internally threaded and screwed on to the outer ends of tubes 42 and 43. Portions 46a and 47a are externally threaded. A flanged ring 48 is screwed on to portion 46a and bears on end section 16 when the coupling is tightened. Similar flanged rings 51, 51, placed end to end, are screwed on to portion 47a. The electrical wiring 52 for the lamps is brought out through eyelets 46 and 47 and the tubular portions are packed with a wax or resin to completely weatherproof the bead.

To open the casing, ring 48 and the outer of rings 51, may be loosened from eyelets 46 and 47 to allow the latter to slide through openings 18 and 20, respectively. End section 16 may then be separated from central section 15 and eyelet 47 drawn in through opening 20, to provide access to the lamp mounting, replacing lamps 25 and 26 and repairing wiring 52. To close the casing, rings 51 are tightened to position eyelet 47, as desired, and clamp it to end section 17. Section 16 is then engaged with section 15 and clamped by tightening ring 48.

The casing thus provides for easy access to the lamps, as well as protection against rain and snow. The weight of the lamps and their support, as well as the tension of chains 8, is carried entirely by the coupling, so that there is no strain on the casing itself. The couplings may be made as rigid and strong as necessary according to the overall size of the rosary.

What is claimed is:

1. A rosary for outdoor display, comprising a number of beads and means linking said beads together in succession, each bead comprising a light-transmitting casing having separable parts, a rigid coupling member extending through said casing and having ends projecting therefrom and connected to said linking means, a support for lighting means mounted on said coupling member, and locking means engaging said coupling member adapted to clamp the parts of said casing together to form an enclosure for said support and lighting means mounted thereon, said locking means being separable from said coupling member to permit separation of said casing parts.

2. A rosary as described in claim 1, said coupling member having tubular end portions providing conduits for electric wiring.

3. In a rotary for outdoor display made up of a number of beads and links connecting the beads together, a bead structure comprising a light-transmitting casing having a central section, a first end section and a second end section, the end sections having end openings, the first end section being attached to said central section and the second end section being separable from the central section, a rigid coupling member disposed in said casing, a pair of eyelets, disposed one outside each of 3 .v saidend: sectie'ns and having tubular portions extending inward through said opening and connected is said member, a support for a lighting element mounted on said member, a first ring engaged with the tubular porii'o'n of one of said eyelets and havin a" flange Bearin on said first end: sectiaii, and a second rin thradablyengaged with the tubular portion of the other of said eyelets and having a flange adapted to bear on the outside of said second end section to clamp the latter to said central section.

4; A bead structure as described in claim 3, said support comprising a plate transverselymounted on said member and carrying a pair of electric sockets disposed to either" side thereof. I

5. A head structure as described in claim 3, said manber having a pair of junctions with transverse openings eemmunieating with the interiors of said tubular portions and forming therewith conduits for electric wiring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,286,514 Bobe Dec. 3, 1918 1,946,916 RiZZo Feb. 13, 1934 2,240,331" Geiger et al-.- Apr. 29, 1941 2,608,779 Joy 1 Sept. 2, 1952 2,629,044 M'aflisi c-= ;i.- Feb. 17, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 325,515 France May 1, 1903 307,950 Germany Sept. 19, 1918 

